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---In <> wrote :=0D
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> On 24 Jan 2015, at 1:58 am, 'Chris Harrison' sandboa@=
... [naturerecordists] < naturerecor=
> wrote: =0D
> The problem with learning bird calls (or insect, frog, etc) calls is tha=
t it is a very personal thing. By that, I mean that what I =E2=80=9Chear=E2=
=80=9D in a particular bird=E2=80=99s call may be very different than what =
you =E2=80=9Chear=E2=80=9D.=0D
> Why is that? Differences in hearing ranges? =0D
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Peter,=0D
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While differences in hearing may contribute, I think it is just difference=
s in how people interpret the call or the words they put to it for it to ma=
ke sense to them. It is like trying to describe any other sensory experien=
ce I guess. As a simple example, an English speaker is likely to apply a d=
ifferent phrase to a birds call than a person who speaks French.=0D
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I ran across this recently when trying to describe the differences between=
the two spadefoot toads in my area (http://frogcalls.blogspot.com/2014/01/=
south-central-texas-spadefoot-toads.html). Resources I looked at described=
both of their calls in such similar language that a person unfamiliar with=
the two species would have a hard time distinguishing between them based o=
n the descriptions. Yet, in the field there are noticeable differences bet=
ween them. For me, Scaphiopus couchii has a "dyspeptic groan" while S. hur=
terii has a similar nasal groan, but with a "Doppler-esque" effect. That p=
articular description may not make sense to anyone but me, but it does help=
me distinguish the two species calls with ease.=0D
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That's why I think everyone has to learn their own "language" when interpr=
eting animal calls. Other people's descriptions help, but you don't learn =
the call until you make it your own somehow.=0D
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Chris=0D
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